Covenant-breakers, Electronic Communication with

Regarding your concerns about Covenant-breakers participating in
and posting material to the "Bahá'í Forum" on America Online (AOL), you should,
of course, scrupulously and impartially uphold the rules of AOL's "Religion and
Beliefs" area. You may warn the friends about interaction with
Covenant-breakers if you feel it to be appropriate and if you can do so without
violating the impartiality that you, as Forum manager, must demonstrate.

With respect to your concerns about your own contact with
Covenant-breakers, you should feel no trepidation at having to interact with
them in his particular situation and, if necessary, to read their postings. It
is suggested, however, that your contact with them be kept to a minimum, as
strictly required by your obligations as Forum manager. You will want to resist
any temptation to be drawn into discussions or consideration of the arguments
which they may advance. (From a letter dated 28 May 1998 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to an individual)

More generally, while it is disconcerting that Covenant-breaker
material is being disseminated on the Internet, there is little that can or
should be done to directly oppose such dissemination. Rather, the greatest
protection to the Cause will be through ongoing deepening of the Bahá'í
community in the Covenant and the history and teachings of the Faith. An
important role that the Internet can play in this regard is to make authentic
Bahá'í literature, on the Covenant and on Bahá'í teachings generally, easily
available.(From a letter dated 19 December 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House
of Justice to an individual)

The House of Justice feels that, when Bahá'ís are
teaching in an online "chat room" and Covenant-breakers intrude upon the
discussion, the friends should not feel obliged to sign off simply because
Covenant-breakers are present in this virtual space. They should, however,
refrain from knowingly engaging the Covenant-breakers in discussions and, in
any case, should avoid being drawn into contentious or disputatious
situations.
(From a letter dated 27 October 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House
of Justice to an individual)

The Universal House of Justice has received your email message of
29 September 1997 regarding the Covenant-breaking material sent to your
personal email account.

The House of Justice is aware of such activities on the part of
Covenant-breakers, and while it is closely following this issue, it sees no
cause for undue concern. The friends should, of course, ignore any materials
produced by Covenant-breakers which they may receive unsolicited by email or
happen on while exploring the World Wide Web. With regard to your concerns over
the content of the message, you are advised to turn to your Local Spiritual
Assembly or an Auxiliary Board member for assistance in dealing with the
spurious claims advanced in that message.

The best countermeasure to Covenant-breaker initiatives and the greatest
protection for the Cause is for the believers to acquire a deeper appreciation
of the station and purpose of Bahá'u'lláh and to become
well-grounded in His Covenant.
(From a letter dated 7 October 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House
of Justice to an individual)

In principle, no person can be considered a Covenant-breaker unless
he has been so designated by the Head of the Faith. However, it is strongly
advised not to associate with those who have fallen under the pernicious
influence of groups such as the "Orthodox Bahá'ís". They are infected with the
spirit of Covenant-breaking, even if they are not all designated as such.
Accordingly, the friends should not answer queries from individuals who
obviously seek to draw them into the consideration of the spurious claims and
logic of the Covenant-breakers.(From a letter dated 3 July 1997 written on
behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual)

Your faxed message dated 14 May 1997, requesting guidance
concerning the attention given by the friends to postings by Covenant-breakers
on the Internet, was received by the Universal House of Justice and referred to
our Department for reply. The House of Justice is aware of the electronic
postings on the Internet by Covenant-breakers. While it is closely following
this issue, it sees no cause for undue concern. "The Bahá'í
World", a Web site developed by the Bahá'í International Community's Office of
Public Information, was launched in July 1996. It, together with a range of
specialized Bahá'í Internet presentations such as the new "One
Country" site, now provides individuals interested in learning about the
Bahá'í Faith with a large and ever-expanding body of authentic
material on the Faith, attractively presented and illustrated. Sites maintained
by Covenant-breaker groups will have a diminishing impact in the context of the
information deluge on the Internet and against the background of the authorized
Bahá'í source now accessible.

The greatest protection to the Cause will, of course, be through ongoing
deepening of the Bahá'í community in the Covenant and the history
and teachings of the Faith. To facilitate this, you may wish to bring attention
to the availability of the Sacred Text on the Web site "The Bahá'í World" and
on the Bahá'í World Centre FTP server.
(From a letter dated 4 June 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)

Your email of 11 April 1997 regarding contact through the Internet
between the friends and Covenant-breaker groups has been received by the
Universal House of Justice. It is not possible to provide you with a list of
Internet addresses of Covenant-breaker groups as you have requested, as no such
listing is being maintained at the Bahá'í World Centre at this time.

Any plans that you have to alert the friends to Covenant-breaker activity
on the Internet should, of course, be undertaken with wisdom and discretion so
as to avoid giving Covenant-breakers more attention or prominence than they
would otherwise receive.
(From a letter dated 4 May 1997 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)

Thus, if any participant in an email discussion feels that a view
put forward appears to contradict or undermine the provisions of the Covenant,
he should be free to say so, explaining candidly and courteously why he feels
as he does. The person who made the initial statement will then be able to
re-evaluate his opinion and, if he still believes it to be valid, he should be
able to explain why it is not contrary to either the letter or the spirit of
the Covenant. The participants in such a discussion should avoid disputation
and, if they are unable to resolve an issue, they should refer the point to the
Universal House of Justice since, in accordance with the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Bahá, "By this body all the difficult problems are to be
resolved..." and it has the authority to decide upon "all problems which have
caused difference, questions that are obscure, and matters that are not
expressly recorded in the Book." In this way the Covenant can illuminate and
temper the discourse and make it fruitful.
(From a letter dated 16 February 1996 written on behalf of the Universal House
of Justice to an individual)

There is an ever increasing use by believers of the Internet and
other available computer based means of communication. These open unlimited
possibilities for continuous proclamation and teaching, bringing the Creative
Word and the Sacred Writings as well as the ideas of individual believers to
hearts and mind everywhere. It also offers easy access to these same believers
by those whose purpose is to undermine their faith. By being constantly alert
we are able to encourage the use of this medium by the friends while ensuring
their protection from those who would prey on them.
(From a letter dated 11 May 1995 written by the International Teaching Centre
to a Continental Counsellor)

Participation by enemies of the Faith or members of
Covenant-breaker groups may, indeed, occur in the dialogue on electronic
forums. It is not advisable for the institutions of the Faith or its individual
members to become directly involved in such discussion. It is neither wise nor
possible to interfere with postings on public forums, but if it is observed
that such activity is taking place on Bahá'í-only forums National
Assemblies should be alerted so that they may provide appropriate advice to the
administrator of the forum. The greatest protection to the Faith will not be
through intervention on either open or closed electronic forums, but through
ongoing deepening of the Bahá'í community in the Covenant and the
history and Teachings of the Faith.
(From a letter dated 24 February 1995 written by the International Teaching
Centre to a Continental Board of Counsellors)